


Blackwood Manor

by witchyykitty



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-02
Updated: 2014-01-02
Packaged: 2018-01-07 03:29:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1114957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchyykitty/pseuds/witchyykitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is only the first chapter of what I'm writing and I would like imput</p></blockquote>





	Blackwood Manor

“Johanna…Johanna…wake up my lovely little girl. Wake up Johanna, WAKE UP!!”

The alarm on my phone is blaring like a dubstep nightmare. All I want is to stay in bed for just a few more minutes and finish the beautiful dream I was having. But now that I'm awake I can hardly remember what it was about. I peek my head out from under the covers and it is still dark outside. This five a.m. wake up call is getting old. I guess it’s time to get up and start on my chores. One of the occupational hazards of living on what is basically a farm; you get up and do your chores. My feet hit the cold hard floor and the feeling of wanting to be lazy washed over me again. I miss the days of living in my own apartment when I didn’t have to wake up at the ass crack of dawn to take care of the horses. Yes, I have horses, and a farm. You see, I inherited this property from my grandmother. At only 25 years old, I did not expect to have all of this in front of me. Grams had been sick for a while, but the doctors said she would make a full recovery. That was a load of horse shit if I ever heard it. She passed away about six months ago, and I've been living here in my childhood home ever since.

Looking at my face in the mirror, I can see the dark circles forming under my green eyes. My pale face, which already contrasts with my raven black hair, makes the purplish gray circles under my eye look a million times worse than they actually are. I splash ice cold water on my face, another shock to my system. The late nights at The Tavern are starting to get to me. Late nights, early days, late nights, and again early days. It’s not like I’m ungrateful for my job at The Tavern, in fact I’m lucky to still have it. I’ve been there for five years now, and I’ve had my months where I just couldn’t do it. Jamie, the boss, has known my family for years and I think that’s why I still have my job there. I’m like a niece to her. I finish up brushing braiding my hair and go back to my room and plop down on the bay windowsill and pull out my kit. Weed kit, that is. It’s pink and white with “Fuck” written all over it in black. I pull out my black bowl and pack it. Spark it. Inhale. Exhale. That is the way to start every day. 

I walked down the muddy dirt road of my property, rain boots squishing in the slop. After all day of feeding the animals and cleaning out their space of mess, I think I deserve a break. All together I have five horses; Rogue, Piper, Trigger, Mariner, and Storm. I love all of them, and they love me. I think. Rogue is my personal horse, one I’ve had since I was 21. Grams brought her home for me on my birthday, and it was the best present ever. Rogue is a white horse with one black spot over her right eye. She is a beautiful girl, and I love her to pieces. Once I finish up here I have the rest of the evening to myself, which is a rare occasion for me. How do I plan to spend it? Oh, probably just invite Kendall over and have a girl’s night. Me and that girl go all the way back to the sand box. I remember the day we met like it was yesterday. I was getting bullied about not having "real parents" and the kids were being unbearable, saying that I couldn’t play with them until I found a real mommy or daddy. Kendall walked over to me, gave me a big hug and said "you can play with me; I don’t have a mommy either. We can be friends." The rest is history. Throwing the last pile of hay into Rogue's stall I hear my phone go bizerk. Well, speak of the devil.

"Sup slut?" I answer, with a chuckle.

"Who you callin’ a slut? Anywho, I’m in your driveway, let’s go for a ride."

"I just got done with these horses; can you give me a little?" I asked. "I'll let you ride Piper."

"Well since you twisted my arm, yeah I'll take Piper for a ride. Meet ya in a jiff." click. End call.

Kendall is in the corral, trotting Piper around, getting mud on the skirt of her jeans. Kendall is a beautiful girl; with dyed cherry red hair that reached her waist, and lips to match them. She’s darker than I am, a nice shade of bronze which she achieves by going tanning three times a week. She stands at about five foot, five inches with a tiny waist. Beauty personified. I turn from the window and look at the large space in front of me. The house. This house is too big for one person. I mean, with five bedrooms and three floors you can imagine I have more than enough space to have a large family in here. I have my pit bulls Blaze and MJ, but sometimes a little human contact would be nice. Maybe I should just do it. Ask Kendall to move in here with me. Why not? I mean she is my best friend, what could go wrong? Right, what could go wrong. I couldn’t lose Kendall; she’s been there for everything. When I broke my wrist in 4th grade, when I got burned by that bitch Kristi. Oh that was a good one, we slashed the tires on her brand new mustang GT. Kendall was there with me when Grams died. I held Grams hand and she held mine. The moment I heard the monitor go flat, my head fell on to her shoulder and I cried. Kendall just stroked my hair and held me close, she never left my side. I’m just gonna do it. I need to stop being afraid of the worst. Sometimes I feel like I’m afraid of my own shadow. 

“Johanna Lynn!” Kendall calls from the mudroom. “Come on, let’s go! I put Piper up for the night and I’m ready to have some fun with my number one bestie!”

“Okay, okay, I’m coming!” I holler back. “Patience is a virtue my love!”

“A virtue I was blessed with, now let’s go!” she said, grabbing my arm and pulling me down the driveway and into her truck

 

Driving around in Kendall's F-150 and blazing up has been a pass time of ours since we were 16 years old, except back in those days we drove around in my beat up old Dodge Durango. Back then we were stupid kids, trying to find fun where ever we could. Kendall always had the wild spirit, one that I admired. She would come to my house on school nights at two thirty in the morning, and climb the tree just outside my bedroom window. All she had to do was flash that smile and off we would go, on some great adventure. Growing up with Kendall was never boring. We know all the back roads in this town, and all the places to avoid. She passes me the joint and I take a long drag. I let the smoke fill my lungs and it lingers. Smoking weed may not be for everybody and I respect that, but the way it lets me float away holds no comparison to anything on this earth. I let it stay until my head is dizzy, filling my head with haze until I cough.

"If you ain’t choking you ain’t tokin’!" Kendall said with a grin. I passed the j back to her and settled back into the cushy front seat. I’m so jealous of her truck; she has the biggest back seat, which is perfect for our infamous last minute road trips. Plus a wide truck bed. When she first got it we "went camping" down by the river in her truck. I was amazed that we both fit so easily. I mean neither of us are big girls, both of us are five foot five inches; one hundred thirty-five ponds soaking wet. We fit one of those memory foam mattress toppers in the bed of her truck and it was insanely comfortable. We even put up a net around the outside on posts coming up from the corners of the truck so that we wouldn’t get eaten alive by the mosquitoes. We spent the weekend getting stoned and drunk and talking about everything in the world. That was the night she told me about her now ex Tasha. I was thrilled for her; she deserves to be the happiest girl alive. But things with Tasha didn’t last. For some reason Kendall just didn’t want to keep trying to make it work. She says, "It shouldn’t be that hard, you should just feel it. You get me Jo?" I always get her. Too bad neither of us has found that yet.

"Move in with me." I blurt out. There’s silence for about half a second.

"Okay! Let’s go get some of my things!" she said, excited.

"That was easy."I said, smerking.

"Well I've been wanting to get out of that rat hole forever, plus I figured you’d ask eventually." she said, lighting up two cigarettes. She passed the second to me and I gladly took it. 

"Am I really that predictable?" I asked, exhaling smoke.

"When I've known you for 22 years, yes. Yes you are." she said, smiling.

We got to her place and climbed the endless stairs to her top floor apartment. The walk was what I hated most about coming here. That, and the fact that my ex lives in this building. I avoid this place, and Kendall knows why. But I guess since she’s moving in with me I can go in one last time. She unlocks the door and I follow her in. Immaculate condition as usual. She is tidy, and I am...not. Since her apartment came furnished, meaning the previous tenant left all his shit there so she got to keep it; she decided to leave it behind. I helped her pack her endless amounts of clothes and shoes. Most of which were mine.

"You know what; we should just make one of the other bed rooms into a closet, because we both know you'll be borrowing my clothes a lot." I said, tossing shoes into a plastic tub.

"Oh shut up, it’s not MY fault we've been the same size since 7th grade."

We continued chit chat for a while longer, and then my mind wandered off. I've been thinking about leaving The Tavern recently. Or at least finding a new job. Bar tending is fun, you meet interesting people and hear the craziest stories, but being a new found farm girl isn’t exactly coherent with the bar tender life style. Grams left me everything, including everything in her bank account, which is no small amount. Grams had married four different times in her life, and had tragedy with each husband. The first drowned in the Chesapeake Bay whilst crabbing. He owned a very profitable skipjack, so when he died Grams inherited his fortune. The second died in a car accident that was not his fault; he was hit by a drunk driver and instantly killed. The third was shot in a robbery and the fourth suffered a massive heart attack. Needless to say, Grams always said the Blackwood women were cursed in men. I guess it’s a good thing I’m into women! I miss Grams a lot, and I know that everyone in our small town does too. Grams was kind of a medicine woman in the town. We have a green house just off the main house, and its home to rows and rows of herbs and flowers. Some of which I can’t even pronounce. Grams tried to teach me when I was little; she said that it was important I learn this now so I have it for the future. I didn’t pay much attention to it then, but now I wish I had. You see, Grams always told me the Blackwood's were special. That I came from a long line of Blackwood magic; and recently I’ve been feeling drawn to something I can’t explain. 

“Johanna Lynn, get yourself out of your own head and help me with these bins, they are heavy!” Kendall said. She is the only one with any right to use my middle name. Ever. 

We finish loading the last of Kendall’s belongings into her truck and drive off east towards Princess Ann, Maryland. My small little town that I have known all my life. We live on the eastern shore of Maryland, which in my opinion is the best place to be. You have the best oceanfront resort there is about an hour out from us. I’ve been going to Ocean City for as long as I can remember. I always have to go to Anthony's on 33rd and Costal highway the first week of summer, before all the tourists come into town. Grams said that this was my daddy’s favorite place when he was alive, so I try to keep the tradition going. Salisbury, the “central city” of the eastern shore, is about 20 minutes away, and that’s with traffic. I used to head up there all the time to see what kind of interesting things were going on in the college town. But the best part about where I live is that I can escape all the hustle and bustle of the major city life. On my farm I can escape into the fields with Rogue and just gallop along, not a care in the world. Small town living is the way to go. 

“So have you talked to that girl Anya lately?” Kendall asked me out of the blue. 

“No, not since the last time you and I headed down to Ocean City for that party you soooo needed to go to.” I said.

“Oh, okay. Just wondering.” She said. I saw her fingers release their grip on the steering wheel ever so slightly. 

“Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason. I just think you could do so much better than her. In my opinion.” She said, slight tremor in her voice now. 

“Are you okay Kendall?” I ask. She is never like this.

“Yeah, peachy keen jelly bean!” she smiled and laughed, back to her old self. 

We pull up the gravel driveway and she puts it in park. We sit in the car for another minute or so, talking about mundane stuff; grocery shopping, painting her room, the horse’s. I’m staring into her eyes as we speak, and I see that sparkle in them that I adore. She has the most gorgeous eyes, and piercing shade of blue that makes my heart melt. Not that I would ever tell her that. Okay, yes so I have had a small, itty-bitty crush on her since we were juniors in high school. But it’s just that, a crush. We’ve kissed before, but nothing serious. Her eyes tonight though, they have a new shine to them. 

“So I have some news for you!” she said, dragging a box full of clothes up the front steps. 

“What’s that?” I ask. 

“I’ve been talking to someone recently!” she said, face a-glow with excitement. My heart sank ever so slightly.

“Oh that’s awesome boo boo, who is the lucky lady?” I asked, trying to shake off the dumb feeling of jealousy rising in my gut. 

“Her name is Fiona, she’s a bar tender over at the Lagoon. She’s really nice. She’s got the sweetest personality and she’s suuuper sexy.” 

“Ah, well that’s awesome Kendall! I’m glad you’ve found a nice girl. When do I get to meet her?” Hopefully never, I thought. 

“Oh, soon, I’m sure!” she said, and with that there was no more conversation of this person. So I get jealous from time to time. I don’t know this girl from Adam, what if she isn’t good enough for Kendall? Or maybe it’s just my jealous streak rearing its ugly head. Like I said, I would die without Kendall. 

After an hour of putting Kendall’s things away in her new room we parted ways. She went into her bathroom to shower and clean herself and I climbed the stairs to the attic. I told her I wouldn’t be long upstairs and that I would meet her in the sun room in about half an hour and we could smoke. I took the key off of my necklace and put it in the lock, turned it and heard a click. This necklace was given to me by Grams while she was in the hospital. Take good care of my key baby doll; it’s very important to always lock the attic! She would say. I walked into my attic and took a deep breath. The room still smells of Grams perfume. I locked the door behind me, and started to walk around the dusty room. I grab the matches off the table piled with books covered in curious writing and candles and start to light a few to bring some light to the room. All the boxes are exactly where she had left them, and so was the one big thing she left for me. In the middle of the room, on a pedestal stood her Book Of Shadows. It has been passed down the Blackwood family line for generations and generations, all the secrets of my family’s magic lies within this book. I touch the cover and feel a tingle rise up my back.

Johanna…..

I turn, thinking I hear my name being called. I guess it’s just the wind. 

Johanna…..

Okay, now that was totally Grams voice. Just then a breeze came through so hard it made the pages of the book turn. Normally I would have hauled ass, but when I saw what page it landed on I gasped. Blackwood Rite Of Passage. 

It’s time my child…. I heard it right in my ear. I read the incantation aloud three times, each time my voice gets surer, steadier. 

On this night and in this hour,  
I call upon the Ancient power.  
I call upon your power of three,  
The power I will, the power I see.  
Unlock the Blackwood magic inside,  
Hear my soul hear my cry,   
Ancestors passed,  
I call on you tonight at last.  
Unbind my powers locked away,  
Blackwood magic settle here and stay.  
I thank thee ancestors,  
So mote it be.

The room trembles and shakes and the tingle in my spine becomes intense. The rush in my head feels like a tornado and I fall to the ground, and the world goes dark around me. I blink, trying to clear my vision. Trying to get a hold on myself, trying to hold on to…something. 

Johanna…

Grams. It’s her voice, I know it. Where is she? “Grams!! Help me, please! I don’t know what’s going on, please help!”

All of the sudden a woman in a beautiful white gown appears before me. The vision of beauty; with raven black hair that falls to her ankle and a glowing smile that reaches up to her green eye. Green eyes that mirror my own; Grams. 

“My precious girl.” She said, holding her arms open. I run into her arms and feel her wrap them tightly around me. She feels so real, like she is alive again. But if she is here, than I must be…

“No, Johanna, you are not dead. I have come to you here tonight to give you a very special gift. I always told you the Blackwood women were a special breed, did I not?” she asked, now letting go of her embrace and holding my hands, tightly. 

“I don’t understand Grams, why am I even here? What am I supposed to do?” I ask, very confused.

“Blackwood women are very special indeed. We are a powerful line of witches, with powers beyond the comprehension of most human beings. We have each been blessed with powers, each passed down from their sisters before them. We may only give one power at the time of the rite, but you have the choice. You must let your path choose you: Earth, Air, Fire or Water. Each element is where your power comes from. You must choose tonight, for the elements have gathered in your honor child. Choose your path, my beautiful girl.” She said.

A power? I have to choose a power? Or let it choose me…oddly I do not feel frightened anymore. Each power has its own magnetic pull, each beckoning me closer. Water has the weakest pull, and air the second. I guess passive is not the way I want to go. Earth is strong, I can feel it tugging at my core, urging me to choose it. My heart is being pulled in another direction though. It’s a passionate feeling, one that warms me to the very bottom of my soul; fire. The fire element has chosen me. I hear Grams gasp, and as I turn to look at her she is smiling a glorious smile. 

“Fire has chosen you, my child.” She said, taking me in her arms one last time. She is fading now, and I gab as tightly as I can, not wanting to let go. “There has not been a fire witch in our line in generations, not since the first Blackwood, Isabella. You are special my little one, and you have always been. Be good, and take care. Things in this world are not always as they seem. I love you, Johanna.” She’s gone, she’s gone!

 

***

I wake up in the attic and the room is pitch black. All the candles have somehow extinguished and I can’t seem to remember why or how. I pick myself up and walk to the door, taking the key from my necklace once again, and locking the door behind me. Descending down the staircase to the hallway that leads the bedrooms, I wonder how I had gotten knocked out. Everything that happened is a blur, even how I had even gotten up there. I walk into my room and the clock on the nightstand reads 2:30 am. I had been upstairs for hours; Kendall was going to kill me. I turned on the small light in my room and started to disrobe, leaving nothing on but my undershirt and undies. Looking at myself in the mirror, I study my features. My hair is a tangled black mess, falling down below my belly button, windblown waves cascading through it. The circles under my eyes have faded and my skin is clear. I rub the tattoos on my arms. I have two full sleeves; one with Tim Burton characters and the other is covered in nature scenery. The centerpiece of my nature scene is the tiger lily. It has always been my favorite flower. Staring at my body I notice that it is toned, with definition in all the right places. My arm muscles are still defined because of all the years I’ve spent building horse stables and carrying trays on my shoulder. My boobs look fantastic, but then again they have always been one of my personal favorite features. I have a tattoo on my chest of a flaming heart with a broken chain coming off of it. I run my hands over my tummy, flat and soft. I could eat nothing but liquid sugar and still not gain a pound. 

I turn to climb into my bed and what I see takes my breath away. Kendall is lying in my bed, curled up in a ball over the covers, fast asleep. Her soft snoring makes her all the more adorable. Even in her sleep, she is still beauty personified. Her hair falls over the pillows, cascading over everything like a red silk sheet. She has soft pink lips with snakebites in them, and a nose ring in her right nostril. She has taken off her makeup and is just herself. This is when she is the most beautiful, but will she listen to me when I tell her that? Fuck no. She’s wearing my Lez-B-Honest tee and a pair of old boxers. She would. 

I gently pull back the covers and tuck her in; she makes a small squeak in her sleep and shivers. I turn out the light and climb into bed next to her. I feel her body heat radiating underneath the covers and it feels so nice. She has always had a heat to her, and I am always cold. We’d make the perfect cuddle buddy’s, but tonight I feel as though I should not touch her. Now that she is talking to that who’s her face. This happens every time she is with someone new; things change between us. When once we could cuddle in bed and say it was because we were that close becomes an issue. I always hated that, but I can’t say I have never done the same to her. Yes, I have had my share of girlfriends, none of which I am particularly proud of. None were ever good to me, and usually I ended up ending it within six months. My last relationship was Kristi. She also happened to be the longest with two years behind it. Of course I ended that one too, but with very good reason. She was cheating on me with a man, and I found out when she told me she was pregnant with his child. I ended it on the spot. She cried, begged, pleaded and told me she had made a mistake. That she loved me and that it would never happen again, but I couldn’t accept that. Plus Kendall always said if I took her back she would beat me senseless, which I do not doubt. That was over a year ago, and I haven’t looked back. Nor have I looked forward either. It seems as though I have been at a standstill, not wanting to look forward to any new relationships. After being burned that way, who would? Kendall makes another small squeak and rolls over; putting her head on my chest and her hand over my waist. I put my hand on her back and slowly drift off to sleep. 

 

***

I can’t believe I fell asleep in Johanna’s bed last night. Not that it didn’t feel amazing, because it did. I could fall asleep with that girl next to me forever if I could. She has the most comfortable California king bed I have ever had the pleasure of lying in, and to be honest I’ve laid in a few beds. But I am not that person anymore. You could have called me a slut of sorts back then, I pretty much bedded every girl in school. Except for Johanna’s ladies, I never laid a hand on anybody she was fuckin’ with. She was too important to lose over some dumb broad and a one night stand. She still is as a matter of fact. She’s the apple of my eye, the most gorgeous creature to walk on this earth with the personality to match. I could never tell her how I really feel though, that would mess everything up. We’ve been friends for twenty two years now, and that is not something I am willing to risk. I would die without Johanna. Literally die. She has been my rock for all this time, never judging me or thinking any less of me because of my upbringing. I went from foster home to foster home until I was 18 and then out on my own. She has been the one constant throughout the years, and now I’m living with her. My best friend, my world, my heart. I had sort of hoped that when I told her about Fiona that she would have had more of a reaction to the news. She was happy for me as always, not a twinge of jealousy toward the subject. Not the reaction I was hoping for. I turned over this morning to find her side of the bed empty, except for a small note written in her hand writing. Gone to take care of the horses, by the time you wake up I’ll have breakfast ready. Hope you slept well! She is always leaving notes like this. She didn’t make a sound this morning getting up; I didn’t even realize she was gone. A part of me hoped she would be there. 

I climb out of bed and put on her robe. I am forever wearing her clothes, partly because they fit me and look amazing, but also because they smell like her. Yeah, you could say I have it pretty bad. I would hope that after eight years I would have this down to a science, hiding my feelings. I walked over to the bay window that overlooks the farm. Another little note from her; I even packed you a bowl, now how well do I know you? It said. I laughed out loud and put the note in my pocket. How well indeed. She’s been writing me these little notes since we were in third grade. We would pass them back and forth in Mrs. Cabrarra’s class and they would say stupid things. The one I remember most is; I hid your favorite pencil somewhere in my desk! Come find it if you can!! I don’t know why that one sticks out to me, but now I keep all my notes from her in a pink binder. I have notes dating back to the fifth grade. I smoke the sweet herb and drown in the haze, feeling like the world underneath me is sinking away. I love the feeling of floating away. I look out the window and there she is. I can see her in the barn, taking out the muck from the stables. Even covered in dirt she is still gorgeous. Her long black curly hair tied up in a high, messy bun, wearing her work jeans and a pink tank top. She looks like she’s finishing up so I rush down the hall and down the stairs to the kitchen to greet her, while making it seem as though I have been up for a while. 

I get to the kitchen and am greeted by the most delicious smelling breakfast; chocolate chip pancakes, eggs and turkey sausage. My favorite breakfast ever. She is always going things like this for me, probably because she was raised to be a giving person. Grams was like my grandma too, and I know that Johanna was raised with the manners of a southern belle. I miss Grams, she was such a sweet woman. She always made me feel welcomed in her home. I sat down at the table, food in front of me right as Johanna comes in the house. 

“Kendall Rose, get your lazy ass out of bed and come eat breakfast before it gets co-“ she turns the corner and sees me sitting at the table, smirking. 

“You were saying” I say, laughing. 

“Uh, nothing. I take back what I said about your lazy ass, though you are lazy!” she said, sliding into her chair and popping a blueberry into her mouth. 

“If I’m lazy what does that make you?”

“It makes me the one who gets up at the ass crack of dawn, that’s what it makes me” she said, joking in her voice. 

“So what are your plans for today?” I ask, wondering how long I will be at the house alone. I am in transition between jobs right now.

“Well, I was thinking of going into Salisbury to pick up some paint and stuff, so we can redo your room. You should come with me for that, pick out whatever color you want.” 

“Even electric blue?” I said, giggling. 

“If you can deal with that for as long as you live here, which I sincerely hope is a very long time.” She said, smiling that pearly white, perfect smile. I could die. 

“I think I want it to be a forest green.” It reminds me of the color of your eyes.

“Forest green it is!” she said. She got up to put away the fruit and I finished my breakfast, and then hurried upstairs to get ready. 

We roll into Lowes and walk around the aisles, looking at all the little doodads and what-nots. Johanna loves stores like this. She’s always been building things; she helped build the barn that the horses are kept in when she was in high school. Before that they were kept in a small stable, and that was when they only had two horses. She’s telling me about how badly she wants to leave The Tavern, one of the local dives in town. She has worked there so long, I can’t imagine her ever leaving. 

“I just can’t do the turn around anymore. Getting home at 2 am and being up at 5am is seriously killing me.” She said, stretching her arms above her head, showing off her flat tummy. 

“Do you think Tammy would care? I mean she and Grams were so close and you are the best damn bar tender she has.” I said.

“Nah, Tammy won’t mind. She knows how life is on the farm, she will understand.” She said, getting down on her knees to grab the color I want. “Is this the one you want?” she said, holding it up next to her face. She doesn’t even know how much that helps. 

“Yeah, it’s perfect!” it matches your eyes!

“Do you have anything to do this weekend?” she asked.

“Nothing that I can’t think of off hand, why?” I asked, curious. 

“Well, I was thinking of getting Kyle to look after the horses for the weekend, I need to get away. I need a vacation. I was thinking of going to New York. Do you want to come with me?” she asked. 

“I-well-yes I would love to but…” I said, trailing off. 

“But what booger?” she asked, poking me in my sides. 

“I have no money…” I said, embarrassed. 

“My love, you don’t ever need to worry about that. Don’t you get that by now?” she asked, putting her arm around my shoulder. “You are the most important person to me, and I would do anything for you. Come to New York with me, please?” she asked again. Was that a sparkle in her eyes I saw?

“Well…since you twisted my arm…yes of course I will!”

***

Johanna has gone to tell Tammy that she needs time off, so that leaves me here at the farm. I grew up here, basically. The old tire swing still hangs from the oak tree in the back near the conservatory. I light a cigarette and sit down on the swing and push myself a little, swinging back and forth. Blaze and MJ are running around in the yard, playing with a tug-a-war dog toy. The sunset is picturesque, with the trees blowing in the soft breeze. It is unusually cold for the first week of fall, so I pull Johanna’s hoodie tighter around my body. The smell engulfs me and I get lost in my own head. I can’t stop thinking about this New York adventure that we are about to embark on. It’s too early for all the Christmas decorations to be out. I love New York in the winter; Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. That’s one think that Johanna and I do not share, and that is holiday favorites. Hers is Halloween, which makes sense. Grams loved Halloween too, she always dressed up as a witch in a long black dress and a pointy black hat. Johanna grabs me around my waist and spins me around, breaking my trip down memory lane. She stops, puts me down and says “I’m done lets go celebrate!”

I’m getting ready to go out with Johanna tonight, and I’m getting my best on. We’re going to Brew River, one of our favorite drinking spots. It sits on the Wicomico river overlooking the Port of Salisbury marina and we’ve spent many a summer eve sitting on the deck and watching the sky turn from a bright orange to a starry night sky. I’m so excited to go tonight, it’s an unusually chilly beginning of fall, so this may be the last night we can go and enjoy the deck. I put on my eyeliner dark and exaggerated, just like I like it. My hair is sprunched with the front pulled into a clip. I finish up by spraying my signature perfume and walking through the mist, turn off all the lights and walk down the staircase to the foyer. There’s Johanna, looking particularly amazing. 

She opens the car door for me, I slide in and she closes the door behind me. I admire her figure as she walks around the car and slides in next to me. I crank up Skrillex as she pulls out of the driveway and takes off like a shot. Another thing that she inherited from Grams is her love for fast cars. Oh and this Corvette! As she drives down route 13 into Salisbury I can’t help but notice she has this aura about her. Something is different and I can’t quite figure out what it is. She seems happier, more daring; like something has awakened inside her. The way she is dressed tonight is making my head spin; skin tight bleach wash jeans, ripped in all the right places. She has a flowing black and silver shirt that is tight around her midsection and loose around her arms. She even straightened her mane, and it comes all the way down to the center of her back. I always forget how long her hair is. We arrive at the bar and again she opens the car door for me. A true southern belle at heart. She puts her arm around my waist and guides me in through the front doors and we are met by the sound of loud music blasting from wall to wall. She walks me through the crowded restaurant to the back patio. We walk over to the bar and she asks for two shots of patron with lime and salt. The bartender puts the drinks down in front of us; Johanna looks at me and gives me that devilish smile. “Get ready for one hell of a night.” She says. Down, clink, down, shot! And so the night begins. 

***

“Bar tender! Another shot for the beautiful lady!” I called down the bar. Kendall stays close to me, under my arm since we arrived. At this point I’m more than a bit tipsy and I can’t help notice how free she is. She is laughing and drinking, taking to everyone around us. She is a true socialite. Tonight she’s sticking close to me, where I go she goes. I keep one hand around her waist at all times, which at this point she doesn’t seem to mind. Were about five shots deep, with a couple beers under our belts as well. I had to come out and celebrate my new found freedom from The Tavern. That job really was killing me and now that I am free the weight has been lifted off. I know that eventually I will have to go back to work, but I’m going on hiatus for a while. Now I can concentrate on more important things, like the horses and the gardens. The gardens…I don’t know why I would think that. Tonight is about me, and of course this lovely creature standing next to me. After downing the patron, she takes my hand and says, “I love this song, dance with me!” It is not a request, it’s a demand. One I am happy to fulfill. I love to dance, I’m just not one for initiating. She puts her arms around my neck and pulls me in close to her. I can feel her breath on my neck. It sends shivers down my spine, something she notices right away. 

“Cold?” she asks, spinning around and pushing her body against mine. Fuck, is she driving me crazy.

“Not in the slightest.” I say, trying to keep my cool. I let my hands explore her body, not going past her navel. Even in this state I am not that brave. She looks amazing tonight, with a short skirt that leaves just a hint of mystery to her womanly figure, and a tight long sleeve black shirt that hugs the curves of her body. Her snowflake necklace hangs down on her shirt, the one thing she has never taken off. She’s wearing her signature perfume and the smell lingers around my senses, driving me wild. All I want is to kiss her lips, those delicious full lips. I want it so bad it hurts and she is not making this easy. The song ends and once again she takes my hand and leads me off the dance floor. 

“Oh my goodness, this is so much fun!” she gushes, settling down on the bench and lighting up two cigarettes. 

“I would have to agree, this has been a great night.” I say, taking the lit cigarette she holds out for me. 

“I think we should continue this celebration at home.” She says, reaching out and pulling me towards her by my belt loop. She lays her head on my stomach. Fuck.

“Okay, well let me call a cab. We’ll pick up my car in the morning. Why don’t you go grab us two more shots and we’ll get out of here.”

“Sounds peachy keen jelly bean!” she says as she puts out her cig and swaying over to the bar. Yeah, she is toasty. I don’t even think she knows how crazy she’s making me. I call the cab company, and they say it should be about 20 minutes so I head back inside and find Kendall. We take the shots and dance to one more song, a slow one. I really think this is where I hit my point of no return. She has her head on my chest and her hands in my back pockets. I can feel her breath on my neck again, this time shallower, deeper. I get the call from the cab driver and we head outside. She climbs in and I follow right behind. The whole way home she is playing with my hair, touching my face and neck. Her face is right up next to mine while she talks. 

“So what do you want to do once we got home?” she asks, twisting a piece of my hair around her fingers.

“Uh, well I guess we could, um…whatever you want my love.” I say, not being able to say what I want to. The cab driver pulls into the driveway and Kendall whispers, “Meet me in your room.” Her lips almost touch mine. Almost. She saunters up the steps and disappears in the house. I pay the cab driver and stand outside for a minute, contemplating what is about to happen. Are we goin to cross the line and go where we have never gone before? My legs are shaking as I walk up the stairs. 

I walk into my room and all the lights are turned off. 

“Kendall?” I whisper. She turns on the small light and my breath leaves my chest. All she has on are her black, lace panties. Nothing else. She walks over to me and puts her arms around my neck. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I can’t take it anymore. I feel her breasts press up against mine through my shirt. Her nipples are hard, and I don’t think it’s because she is cold. I pick her up and place her down on the bed and lay myself on top of her. Her fingers run though my hair as I stare into her blue eyes, taking in every beautiful feature.

“Johanna…” she says, breathless.

“Yes?” I reply, pushing her bangs back from her face.

“Are you gonna kiss me or not?” she asks, her voice husky and breathless as her back arches ever so slightly. That’s when I lost it. My lips meet hers in an explosion of anticipation and desire. All bets are off and this is finally happening. 

***

The sun is shining through the bedroom window, waking me up to the best sight I have ever seen. She is wrapped up in my arms, legs tangled together in an embrace that seems unbreakable. Last night was the most amazing night of my life, and the best part is that I remember every single second of it. I can recall her red hair falling over my face as she climbed on top of me, kissing me down my body. The way she giggled that danced around her mouth every time I would kiss her neck. The way her bare skin against mine was electric, something I have never felt in my life. She is perfection, and I can’t believe the best thing that could be happening to me is actually happening. I feel her start to stir, and I pull her closer to me, fearing that she will want to pull away once she realizes what we did last night. What if she didn’t want this?

“Good morning beautiful girl.” She says, stretching her back and wrapping her arms tighter around me. I breathe a sigh of relief. She’s not mad, she seems happy.

“Good morning my love.” I say back, kissing her forehead. 

“So, how was your night?” she asked, curling a piece of my hair around her index finger.   
“My night was incredible. One of the best I’ve ever had,” I say in the most sincere voice. “How about yours?”

“Oh, mine was marvelous, thank you for asking. I was kind of hoping we could have more like it on a regular basis.” She says, burying her face in my hair, muffling the last sentence. But I still heard it loud and clear. 

“I would be honored.” I say. I mean it too. I would love to wake up like this with her every day. I wish I didn’t have to get up this morning. “I don’t want to leave you, this feels so nice. But I have to take care of the animals; they’re probably real upset with me.”

“That’s okay, if it’s alright I would love to stay in bed for another hour. You know me and my lazy ass.” She says, wrapping her leg over my hip.

“That’s totally okay, I’ll go tend to the animals and be right back to you.” I say, meaning every word. 

“Oh, alright.” She says, reluctantly releasing her hold on me and allowing me to get dressed. I dress quickly and head out the bedroom door, but take one last glance back. She’s already fast asleep. 

Piper and Rogue are happy to see me; it’s time to let them out in the fields to chill for the day. It must be so great to be a horse. You get to hang out outside all day and get food and shelter at night. I lead one horse out at a time, taking them to the gate of the field and letting them loose. Rogue is the last to go, and when I let her off her line she lingers there for a moment, looking me in the eye. I put my forehead on her face and say “Go have fun my lovely girl, Love ya!” and with that I pat her behind and she gallops off to hang out with her family of horses. Now comes the hard work, mucking out the stalls. One by one I clean each one. What makes it easy is letting my mind wander off; I can do all this on auto pilot. All I can think of this morning is Kendall. Last night was….I don’t have words for it. Passion over took me and I could not resist anymore. I am glad I didn’t, because it was the best night ever. Not just because we had sex, which yes was mind-blowingly amazing and she is by far the best I have ever had. It’s also because we connected on a spiritual level. Or at least I felt like we did. It was like our souls had been waiting for that moment to connect all our lives and neither of us had realized it. We were so in sync with each other, every move she made I had anticipated and we flowed together flawlessly. It’s surprising how well we fit, and that we never let it happen before. I know I was too afraid to ever make the first move. She is my best friend and I couldn’t imagine losing her. After last night there is definitely no way I could imagine my life without her.

**Author's Note:**

> This is only the first chapter of what I'm writing and I would like imput


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